Ala. Racist Language Measure Draws Unexpected Foes

State-mandated segregation is a thing of the past in Alabama, but the state's antiquated 1901 constitution paints a different picture. On Tuesday, Alabama voters will decide whether to strip language from the state's governing document that calls for poll taxes and separate schools for "white and colored".

In 2004, voters rejected an amendment to purge those remnants of Jim Crow from the constitution by less than 2,000 votes.

'A Black Eye' For Alabama

"I think that was a black eye for the state," says Bryan Taylor, a Republican who chairs the Alabama Senate's constitution and elections committee. "Nationally, that was perceived as, 'There goes Alabama, voting down language to reverse its black mark in history.'"

Taylor says that perception hampers the state's drive to attract business, so lawmakers are again putting forth a constitutional amendment, Amendment 4, to delete the now obsolete segregation-era language.

2. No,,,No,,,, NO.....

This is a Hoo Doo tactic by the GOP!. Amendment 4 also replaces the law that insures every child every child in Alabama has a right to a public education with law that says the State "May " furnish a public education if they want to........ The GOP is trying to pull a fast one!

3. You're kidding, right?

The only reason a legislature would do such a thing would be as a step in privatization of the public system rationalized by slashing education budgets because there was no longer a mandate to do otherwise. I hope the voters in Alabama are hip to this.

4. Here's how it's supposed to appear on the ballot....

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to repeal portions of Section 256 and Amendment 111, now appearing as Section 256 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, relating to separation of schools by race and to repeal Section 259, Amendment 90, and Amendment 109, relating to the poll tax.
Yes___

9. That's not what is printed on the Alabama ballot.

PROPOSED STATEWIDE
AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR (4)
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of
Alabama of 1901, to repeal portions of
Amendment 111, now appearing as Section 256
of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution
of Alabama of 1901, as amended, relating to
separation of schools by race and to repeal
Section 259, Amendment 90, and Amendment
109, relating to the poll tax. (Proposed by Act
No. 2011-353)
Statewide Amendment No. 4-YES
Statewide Amendment No. 4-NO

10. If you read the actual amendment, however,

it does suggest that while the state has an 'interest' in promoting education, it is not required to provide it. The pols who wrote it helpfully added the language that they believe should be on the ballot - which does not mention the ticking time bomb in the bill.

"It is the policy of the state . . . to foster and promote the education of its citizens . . . in a manner consistent with its available resources and the willingness and ability of the individual student, but . . ."

and then the bit about not being required to actually provide educational opportunities.

It also includes a suggestion that the state still maintains the authority to "require and impose conditions deemed necessary to the preservation of peace and order."

Claiming a need to preserve "peace and order" is an extremely odd statement in reference to education, unless they are setting the stage for new forms of segregation.

13. Wow. Just wow. (nt)

12. I think this sort of thing should be CRIMINAL.

What is on the ballot gives NO INDICATION TO THE VOTER AS TO WHAT THE AMENDMENT IS REALLY ABOUT.

So if you have not done your homework before voting, how can you possibly make a decision?

The ballot is clearly worded to make it sound like it's all about "separation of schools by race".

But that is not what this amendment is about at all.

What is is really about is this:

"That language, added as Amendment 111, declares "nothing in this constitution shall be construed as creating or recognizing any right to education or training at public expense." At the time, it was intended to supersede the Alabama Constitution's original guarantee that the "legislature shall establish, organize and maintain a liberal system of public schools.""

What this amendment really does is guts the constitutional requirement for a "liberal system of public schools". That is why the teachers union here is against this amendment.

Sadly too many voters are going to see this and think, "Oh, this is about removing racism from our constitution!" and vote yes for it. Even the radio ads here are couching it this way.

20. Alabama. n/t

16. Provided it (insert legislation here) can be linked to "raising taxes"...

southern GOP voters will vote for it,or in this case, against it every time...

And I do believe the folks promoting the "no" vote on this are somehow making a nebulous connection between its passage and tax increases? Huh? Go figure.....

To me, this amendment is akin to a state wide political exorcism of sorts for Alabama; its attempting to leave the last vestiges of institutional racism behind...however, alone in the voter both, the inner "Bull Conner" still lives in the hearts of many white-bread Bamans...and what is most upsetting, its still being perpetuated in those who never even lived during the scourge of segregation.

18. This one deserves to be voted down

It's got secondary language in it striking down the idea of education as a right in the state constitution. The point isn't to clear up the language, it's to give the state the leeway to not just reduce but eliminate education funding.